5 years Ago The Occupation of LA Ends

5 years ago in Los Angeles, the month long occupation of LA ends. LAPD and various area law enforcement agencies raid and clear the occupation camp from the grounds of LA City Hall.

Photos by Ted Soqui © 2011

1st and Spring street.

                                       
     

Occupiers holding the line in front of LA City Hall.

                                     

Occupy the world.

Entrance to LA City Hall.

Occupiers at 1st and Spring Street.

Guy Fawkes Day

Photographed this person laying on the sidewalk during the Occupy movement at LA City Hall.

Photo by Ted Soqui © 2011

Remember the 5th of November.

Four Years Ago in LA

Four years ago, Occupy LA set up camp at city hall.
Then city councilman Eric Garcetti welcomed them to stay as long as they like and that the city will support the cause.
Two months later, hundreds of LAPD would forcible remove the occupiers from the city hall grounds.

Photos by Ted Soqui © 2011

Councilman Garcetti welcoming occupiers.

We are the 99%.

83 year old Lucy Horowitz, occupier.

#Occupy

The Protester Revisited

It was almost three years to the day that I took a photo of a Occupy LA protester that changed both of our lives so quickly.
The photo of the protester, Sarah, was taken in front of the Bank of America building in downtown Los Angeles on 11 17, 2011 mid afternoon. She along with a couple hundred of Occupy LA protesters were locked arm-in-arm in a human chain around the bank building. Sarah and several others were arrested that day by the LAPD.
Three years later I find myself walking down the same street, Hope Street (ironically named?), almost the same time of day and date, covering another giant protest against Bank of America.
As I walk past the site were I took Sarah's photo, there are three stern looking security guards blocking access to the bank grounds with steel barrier fences.
I can look through them and imagine that day three years ago when Sarah and her fellow occupiers stood their ground against the financial giant.
So much has changed, and so much has stayed the same.

Photos by Ted Soqui © 2011 and 2014

Three years later.

Three years ago.

Occupy Movement Third Anniversary

Today marks the third anniversary of the Occupy Movement.

Photo by Ted Soqui © 2011

Occupy LA protesting in front of the Bank of America.

Occupy Wall Street Movement Second Anniversary

Today marks the second anniversary of the Occupy movement which began at Zuccotti Park near Wall Street in New York City.
The occupation also had a huge presence in Los Angeles with hundreds of people camped out on the grounds of LA City Hall.

One city block. (click to see larger)

Last eve of the occupation of LA.

10 days.

Protester in front of LA Times Building.

Marching up Broadway.

Photos by Ted Soqui © 2011

Occupy LA One Year Later

Occupy LA turned one year old today. There was a rally and march from Pershing Square in downtown LA where 200 people gathered to celebrate the movement.

Nice shirt!

Occupy!

Photos by Ted Soqui © 2012

Occupy LA 1st Year Anniversary

Happy 1st anniversary Occupy LA.
It's a trip to realize how many lives, including mine, you've changed.
Occupy.

Photo by Ted Soqui © 2011

Occupy Movement One Year Old

Today is the one year anniversary of the Occupy Movement. Saw these table settings at the JW Marriot hotel today, where candidate Mitt Romney is giving a speech to the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce.

The 99% set tables for the 1%'ers.

Always room at the table.

Photos by Ted Soqui © 2012

May Day in Los Angeles

Thousands of Angeleno's took to the streets of downtown Los Angeles to celebrate May Day. 

The peaceful marches were heavily watched and patrolled by L.A.P.D. officers. 

Marchers trample across Rep. John Boehner's face.

American Apparel employees had the day off and took to the streets.

Greed and corruption on the corner of Broadway and Olympic.

The L.A. Times was completely surrounded by L.A.P.D. officers.

L.A.P.D. bicycle officers trying to keep me out of the streets.

Photos by Ted Soqui © 2012

All in for the 99% Event

Finally got to meet artist Shepard Fairey at the All in for the 99% event held at the Ace Museum in Los Angeles last night. We chatted about how the Time Magazine Person of the Year cover came together, we also both had pieces in the art show.
Cool dude, and fun event.

Shepard and me.

Photo by Krista Kennell © 2012

Spring in L.A.

New green spring grass is finally seen sprouting at the L.A. City Hall. The gray cyclone fencing surrounding the city park is still up.

New grass occupies L.A.

Photo by Ted Soqui © 2012

Andrew Breitbart Dead at Age 43

Conservative blogger Andrew Breitbart died in his sleep last night inside his Los Angeles home shortly after midnight. In a statement form his pr people, Andrew died of natural causes at the age of 43.
Andrew posted an explicit nude image of US Rep. Anthony Weiner which led to the congressman's downfall.

Photos by Ted Soqui © 2011

Andrew Breibart at Occupy L.A. 

Andrew Breibart interviewing Occupiers.

Join Me On January 14

ROBERT BERMAN GALLERY
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
JUST OCCUPY EXHIBIT
Christopher Felver and Ted Soqui, Just Occupy exhibit.

January 14 - January 28, 2012
Saturday, January 14, 7:00 – 10:00 pm opening night.
ROBERT BERMAN GALLERY Bergamot Station Arts Center 2525 Michigan Ave. / D5 Gallery Santa Monica, CA 90404
11 – 6, Tuesday – Saturday 310-315-1937 Email: info@robertbermangallery.com

ROBERT BERMAN GALLERY presents JUST OCCUPY - an exhibition documenting the Occupy movement featuring photojournalists Ted Soqui and Christopher Felver.
In the spirit of the Occupy movement, Robert Berman Gallery at Bergamot Station Arts Center will be holding a pop-up exhibition titled JUST OCCUPY featuring the photojournalistic, yet intensely striking photographs by Los Angeles photographer Ted Soqui. Soqui is a seasoned Los Angeles photojournalist, whose photographs were featured in the New York Times, LA Weekly and other international journals around the world.

Ted Soqui’s iconic photograph of the female protester with the 99% bandana, knit cap and shockingly intense eyes was chosen by artist Shepard Fairey for the cover of TIME magazine’s person of the year. The image is now the symbol for the Occupy movement, not only from Wall Street, but from Arab Spring to Athens to Moscow.

JUST OCCUPY will be the first exhibition and documentation of the Occupy LA phenomenon, which lasted longer than the Wall Street occupation, of which all images are intense, provocative and beautiful.
Also featured in JUST OCCUPY will be a series of photographic collages by photojournalist Christopher Felver, who is known for his documentary photographs of the beats, poets and musicians.These photos from his Ordered World series show a stark contrast to the narrative photos of Ted Soqui, yet have a different impact by showing the force of simple words when joined together such as: JUST PEACE, JUST WAR, JUST 99%, JUST OCCUPY.

JUST OCCUPY will open in conjunction with Photo LA on Saturday, January 14th, 2012.

Before The Shot (Update)

Here is a visual timeline of images right before "the shot" that was used to illustrate Time Magazine's Person of the Year 2011 "The Protester."
I started off with a wide angle lens and wasn't really feeling the image. Once Sarah Mason put on her bandana, which was soaked in vinegar just in case the LAPD decided to use tear gas on her and her fellow protesters, I knew it would have to be a tight shot. Immediately I switched to a 70-200 zoom lens and shot about 5 frames of Sarah close up. The "one" shot stood out to me instantly and I knew no more needed to be taken.

Update:

Found an image of Sarah marching in downtown LA taken a month before "the shot." Was going through my archives looking for another image and ran across this one.

One month before taking" the shot" at a protest in downtown LA. Sarah (L) marching. 10-15-2011

Wide angle. 

Still wide.

Adding vinegar to their bandanas.

A wide tight shot, still not quite right.

Went wide once again.

Right before 'the image."

Time cover.

Photos by Ted Soqui © 2011

Occupy L.A. Final Slideshow

Occupy Slide Show - Images by Ted Soqui

Occupy L.A. Moves On

The Occupy movement moves on in to a nation wide effort to take over and protect foreclosed homes.
A crowd of a couple hundred protesters from Occupy L.A., clergy, and unions move in and protect a  home in South Gate, CA owned by the Casas family. The Casas family has owned their home since 1975 and now are being evicted by Wells Fargo bank. The Casas stated they have made every payment, but are now facing $3000 per month balloon payments from a loan modification.

The Casas home.

Rebecca Casas.

Occupying.

Occupying South Gate.

Photos by Ted Soqui © 2011